First time CUCV owner - What should I do for initial PM/upgrades?

[jonstine]

Greetings, fellow CUCV owners. I just bought a 1986 M1028 with 39k mi on it. I've driven them in the Marine Corps before, but this is my first time owning one.

Paint and body are not in the best shape, and I will need to replace the wheels/tires pretty soon. Outside of normal age related issues, the truck appears to be in pretty sound mechanical condition. The first thing I did on a test drive was put it in 4L and point it up the steep, rocky hill behind the seller's house. Color me impressed. After coming back down, I put it back in 2H, unlocked the hubs (absolutely no friction), and drove it into town. Even got on the highway doing about 60 for a few miles. Everything worked great, shifted fine, stopped fine, etc. After I got back to the seller's house, I looked for leaks or seeping from anywhere. Bone dry for the most part, no leaks.

My question to you all is this, what should I do first in order to prep this for daily driving? I'm looking for dependability and long term capabilities first. Maybe in another year or two I'll start looking into upgrades. Everything is pretty stock, 6.2L, TH400, NP208, Dana 60 with L/S, GM 14 bolt with Locker. I believe the seller took care of it, but I'm not sure how frequently service was performed.

should I focus on changing all of the fluids and belts first? Anything to shore up the engine/electrical? It has only 1 original alternator, the BP had it and swapped out the 2nd for AC. It also has 2 yo aftermarket glowplugs.

I'd like to put 35-37" tires on it pretty soon, not only for the appearance, but for the lower RPMs on the freeway. I know this has been asked and answered numerous times on here in numerous ways, but I can't determine if the M1028 varies significantly from the M1008 in regard to tire size applications when stock. The original runs are on it. I'm willing to look at new rims, and have seen some recommend spacers, some not. What's the largest tire I can put on the stock rim at stock height? Mostly highway/city driving, with occasional off-road use.

Im excited to be part of the CUCV owner's group, and I sincerely appreciate any advice or assistance you can offer.

 

[cucvrus]

Good Luck with your new CUCV. I hope you like working on vehicles.

 

[Chaski]

Hoses, lines belts and fluids. The engine oil cooling hoses are on borrowed time if they are original. Get AC Delco ones, not doorman. Same thing with coolant hoses, power steering and brake hoses etc. Pull the bed and replace the fuel hoses. New filter for the transmission and some ATF. New gear oil front and back, also give the axles a good look over. Other good things to do are to buy new rear wheel seals, brakes, hardware kit and shoes. Rebuild the front calipers and replace the pads. New brake hoses all around. Rebuild the master cylinder. Sounds like your truck was converted to 12 volt, so the doghead starter relay mod isn't needed. As for lift and tires I'm partial to a rear shackle flip and front lift springs. Off road Design sells nice stuff. Enjoy your new toy.

 

[jpg]

Welcome. I just got an M1010. I'm in the same boat, a few weeks ahead of you, perhaps.

Some CUCV experts will tell you no 30-year-old truck will be a reliable daily driver, and to get a new truck if you want something reliable. Especially for bitter cold weather.

They tell me you can run 35" tires without a lift, though you may have to trim the fenders.

The bigger tires are *much* heaver and more expensive, and they tend to be rated at not many miles, like 40,000. I'm thinking I'll leave the stock tires on there and put in a GearVendor overdrive and/or a 700R4 transmission. If you put in both, with the stock tires, in top gear you'll be at peak torque cruising at 75MPH. And you can change a tire without needing a crane. For me, stock tires mean my daughter can change a tire on her own. The 37.5" BFG Mud Terrain 38x14.50R20/D 124 P retails for $918 each. For the price of a set of those, you can buy a built 700R4 from Monster and a GearVendor overdrive. Of course, you can get 37" used HMMWV tires much cheaper.

Before you ask the forum questions, you should read up on the following. Many of your questions will be answered here, including what mods to do first:
Read the CUCV TMs
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?77609-TM-s-for-the-CUCV
The CUCV wiki and stickeys:
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/forumdisplay.php?47-CUCV
And the CUCV hot rodding section:
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/forumdisplay.php?151-CUCV-Hot-Rodding-and-Modification

Welcome, and good luck. Keep us informed of what you do and how it goes.

 

[firefox]

Down load all the TMs from this site.
Check starter support for missing bracket.
I would put 35s on. (needs simple lift like fliping spring brackets I believe and clipping fender.)
Put in new springs and bushings on front end.
put in a solargizer to keep your batteries from sulfide buildup. (I mounted the
solarpanel on top of my dashpad)
change glowplugs to AC60Gs.

 

[porkysplace]

If it is rubber replace it , if it is electrical clean it .

 

[Recovry4x4]

In the CUCV forum there is a post of helpful threads. That's what they are and something you should look through before you have to!

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

If it is rubber replace it , if it is electrical clean it .

What he said. And yes, as already mentioned, fluids!

Do the doghead mod. It's a no-brainer.

Consider the glow-plug bypass. Follow the recommended, tried-and-proven method, or go overkill and do it my way.

Consider the headlight harness upgrade. Buy it or build it better yourself.

Read up on the glow plug theory of operation.

Read the Wiki. Read the helpful threads.

Have fun!


Oh, and you bought a CUCV???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3djXcx2ewQ

 

[Madmedic]

Here's the question you should have asked FIRST............

What did the previous owner do to it?

 

[jonstine]

Thank you all for the responses and suggestions. I've replaced the belts, have a new HO alternator arriving tomorrow (I know, backwards, but a belt broke), and everything else looks pretty good for now. I have to mees with the tie rods and pitman arm up front, because they are showing deterioration and wear, but that will be in another month or two. I've also pulled the dash/instruments and am working on replacing all the bulbs and generally cleaning everything. Fun project so far!

I've been reading around the board about wheels/tires/lifts, and I don't see anything that addresses my specific question. Perhaps you guys can help me out.

I just purchased new wheels (ProComp 7069 series, 16x8, 4.5' backspacing) and I need to figure out what the largest tires are I can mount with stock suspension. It appears that 285/75/16 (or 305/70/16 which is almost identical) would work with absolutely zero rubbing or binding, but that locks me into a 32-33" tire for the next couple of years until the thread wears down. I'd like to put a 3-4" lift on it in the next few months, but don't want to be "stuck" with the smaller tires. Would a 315/75/16 wheel work on those rims with a stock suspension? It sort of looks like there might be some rubbing at full turn or full compression, but not necessarily while driving or under normal (not off-road) usage. The tire I'm looking at is the Firestone Destination M/T in 315/75/16. It's specs list the overall diameter as 34.57", so not truly a 35-36", and a little bigger than a 33". Thoughts? Am I going to be rubbing all the time, over every bump out there, or will this get be my with very minimal issues until I can put a lift on this summer?

Before anyone suggests it, I can't wait to do the tires and lift together. The PO had a mismatch of tires/sizes/age and these things are on borrowed time already. One of the tires is performing miracles by simply retaining air at this point. So I have to do something now. But I can't afford to do the lift now. In short, I want my cake and to eat it, too.

 

[fuzzytoaster]

I just lift my m1028 4" and am running the HMMWV 37" tires. It's a good fit but any serious bumps in the road will make it clip the fenders, it's my daily highway driver I'm not concerned about it and haven't had an issue yet. Stock height I believe 33" is the max tire size without rubbing but it will vary be vehicle a little bit by how "broken in" they are. You will need 2" spacers for the front but not necessarily for the rears (more for looks) and I'd recommend steel spacers if you went with the 37s later on. I'd say take your time with the project until she has been gone through and up to par as there's always plenty to do on these vehicles.